YoUDee needs your votes in national mascot election

4:30 p.m., Nov. 5, 2003--YoUDee, now tied for sixth place in the Capital One National Mascot of the Year election, needs more votes to avoid being beaten by a giant nut (Buckeye) from Ohio State University or a red gamecock from the University of South Carolina.

UD’s mascot may be cocky (after all, YouDee is a chicken), but UD fans can’t be if they want YoUDee to pull ahead in the competition.

The only mascot with a 6-foot, 1-inch wingspan has garnered just 3.2 percent of the votes, as of Nov. 3, in the online polling that closes Dec. 22.

With more than 2 million votes cast, Brutus Buckeye, is in first place, followed by South Carolina’s bright red Cocky.

Blue Hen fans everywhere can help YoUDee go beak-to-beak with Cocky and beat the 11 furry competitors by casting one pro-YoUDee vote every day from YoUDee’s web site at [www.udel.edu/PR/YoUDee/].

“In today’s climate, voter turnout can be the key to victory,’’ Pam Girardo, mascot spokesperson at Capital One, said.

The Mascot of the Year selections will be based half on rankings from a panel of judges and half on the online voting results.

Each mascot finalist has received $5,000 for its school’s mascot program, and the Capital One National Mascot of the Year will receive an additional $5,000 for its program.

YoUDee’s competitors are Aubie of Auburn University, Big Red from Western Kentucky University, Brutus Buckeye from Ohio State, Chip from the University of Colorado, Cocky from South Carolina, Hairy Dawg from University of Georgia, Harry the Husky from University of Washington, Monte from the University of Montana, Scratch from University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee’s Smokey.

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